From Publishers Weekly British Fantasy Award–winner Chadbourn ( The Silver Skull ) returns to a contemporary England overrun by magic, first presented in his Age of Misrule novels. Fabulous beasts fly over the countryside, while humans huddle together and struggle to comprehend the new world. Cynical atheist Mallory joins the newly reformed Knights Templar for the promise of food, drink, and shelter and meets supernaturally gifted Sophie Tallent, whose nomadic Wiccan group is uneasily allied with the Christians. Sophie and Mallory soon discover their own greater destiny as Brother and Sister of Dragons, the core of a new group of five heroes who must join to thwart a threat against reality itself. Despite some cinematic scenes, much of the material feels like setup for the rest of the series, and the central mystery of Mallory's past remains frustratingly intact through the muddled conclusion. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review "Chadbourn does a fine job of showing how religion can easily become corrupted by the agendas of unstable fundamentalists, and that blind faith in leaders -- or anything -- will get you killed." -- SFSite "Pushes the usual fantasy envelope and voyages into some serioulsy unexpected directions. Written with plenty of energy and vigour, Chadbourn's original take on the fantasy epic packs in plenty of action and incident." -- SFX "The myths and legends are intricately woven together. A good read" -- Dreamwatch "The last remnants of the Christian Church have gathered in Salisbury Cathedral to make a final stand. Their only hope is a new Knights Templar, whose swords would guard the priesthood as they set out on their quest for souls." "Into this turbulent place rides Mallory, mercenary and unbeliever, happy to fight for God as long as the pay is right. He hopes to leave behind a mysterious and very dark past, but there are some things from which you can never run." "As the Cathedral falls under siege from supernatural forces, as starvation looms and the holy Church is transformed by magic into a sprawling Gothic fortress of long shadows and haunting presences, Mallory is forced to make a stand." "If the Church is to survive, he must uncover the true face of the Devil behind the onslaught. But in a world of myth, nothing is ever quite what it seems."--Jacket
